


let me hold you up

by Anonymous



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Blindfolds, Chroma Conclave Arc, Cock Warming, Dom/sub, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Kneeling, Light Bondage, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Pet Names, Praise Kink, Short & Sweet, Submission, Subspace
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:56:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28394991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: He stroked his thumb over her cheekbone and the world started to fade into the background.“I want my brain to be quiet. I want to be good for you," Keyleth said, soft and hushed. He pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead and it sent a tingly warmth radiating through her neck and down her spine.It's soft Dom Vaxleth smut, basically.
Relationships: Keyleth/Vax'ildan (Critical Role)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 88
Collections: Anonymous





	let me hold you up

**Author's Note:**

> Hello. I have never written smut before because I don't know it feels weird. But I've been writing fic for 7 years and I feel like I had to at some point so I did this. It's very soft. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh

An Aramente was not meant to be easy. It was not meant to be fair, or kind, or simple, but neither was being a leader. It was a trial, meant to find those who could persevere through it all, and emerge wiser on the other side.

And it wasn’t just her people she had to worry about. It was the other Ashari tribes, it was Whitestone and Emon, it was all of Tal'dorei. Nothing and nowhere was safe from the scourge that was set upon their world, and so often, so much of it rested upon her shoulders. 

Keyleth could do it. She had to, and she would. But there were nights when the stress of it became overwhelming and every voice in her head told her she was stupid, impulsive, selfish, weird, stupid stupid stupid. Her thoughts were like a tangled mess of vines or a pit of quicksand. The harder she fought to escape the deeper she sank. She would spend hours in bed, gasping for breath around the crushing force of it.

Nights like that, she would end up at Vax's door. His hands on her shoulders were always like a moment of fresh air. One night, after hours of anxious pacing, she knocked, at her wit’s end. He opened the door, half ready for bed, his hair falling in dark waves around his shoulders.

"Please," she said, panting, "please, I don't want to think anymore. Please get me out of my head." He looked back at her tear-stained face and fists tight by her sides. He frowned, small and soft and full of pity. She choked out another breath.

"Kiki," he sighed, gathering her in his arms and shutting the door behind her. "Take a deep breath, darling." She tried, but it came in big gasps that hurt her chest. She pushed it out, as slowly as she could.

"Well done, well done," he said, slowly rocking them from foot to foot. "I need you to calm down, alright? I will give you what you need, but I need you here first. Understand?" She nodded into his shoulder and took another deep breath, painful and forced, but there.

They stood like that in the doorway for a while, feeling the minutes slowly tick by, his arms grounding her, forcing her into the present. The voices were still there, telling her she was stupid, needy, selfish, but she wasn't stuck anymore. She just kept breathing, smelling the leather and musk and linen that she'd come to associate with him.

"Feeling better?" he asked, guiding her away from him so he could see her face. She nodded and not quite smiled.

"Much better," she replied, honestly meaning it. She cast her eyes down, tracing over the flagstones. She knew she shouldn't have come, that she was selfish, keeping him awake like this. He put his hand under her chin and tipped her face up so she couldn’t avoid his critical, but not unkind gaze. 

“Look at me. Do you still want what you came here for?” His fingers under her chin turned into a firm grip on her jaw. His eyes were searching, teasing out her fears and insecurities. She wanted to close her eyes, but she didn’t. He told her to look. She nodded and his grip tightened.

“Words, kitten. Ask for what you want or you won’t get it.” He stroked his thumb over her cheekbone and she shuddered. The world started to fade into the background.

“I want my brain to be quiet. I want to be good for you.” He brought his other hand up to cradle her face and she couldn’t help but melt into the touch. He pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead, his lips were soft and a little chapped and it sent a tingly warmth radiating through her neck and down her spine.

“Good girl. I’m very proud of you, coming here,” she saw a glimmer of a smile cross his face, the shy, little smile that only she got to see, “but there are no more choices for you, tonight. You will take what I give you and do as I ask.”

“Please,” she sighed. It was all she wanted, a place where she didn’t have to think or lead or ask, and he would give it to her. No dragons or politics, no world outside of what he asked and what she could give. He took one of her hands and led her to the small couch that was nestled in the corner of the room. 

“Clothes off,” he said, sitting comfortably. Slowly, methodically, she started to remove her leathers, then her overdress and slip, folding and setting aside each piece as she went until she was bare. She wasn't showing off, she wasn't sure she knew how to do that, just doing as she was asked.

“You know, I always think you’re beautiful, but especially like this. So open, all for me.” He brushed the tips of his fingers over the curve of her hip, down her leg, just barely ghosting over her inner thigh. She shivered. 

“Kneel,” he said. There was no choice to make, nothing to think about but for how she could earn his touch again. She got to her knees, her arms held behind her, back straight. She was situated right between his legs, so close that if she leaned either way she could press her cheek to his thigh. She had half a mind to, just lean against him and let him take all of the weight in her head. But she hadn’t been told she could touch, so she stayed as still as she could.

He let her stay there for a little while as she let her mind drift off. Sometimes a thought would take her, that she had things to be doing, useless, stupid. But they didn't feel so important when she was on her knees, his hand gently combing through her hair. Some of the tension slipped out of her shoulders. 

“That’s it, relax. My good, obedient pet, on her knees for me." The praise ran through her like warm honey and she had to resist the instinct to squirm. He pulled a kerchief from his pocket. It was deep green, she thought she might have remembered him buying it in Emon, but it didn't seem important, fuzzy as she was.

He spent a few moments folding it, meticulous in a way he usually wasn't. She tracked his hands as he smoothed it into a thin strip. He held it out to her and she sighed. Her eyes fell closed, content to take what she was given. He laughed and ran a hand over her hair. 

“You are too cute,” he said. She preened at the praise. "You were really ready to go down for me, huh?" He reached behind her head and tied the blindfold. The world got darker and her head went quieter as she sunk deeper into that safe, warm place that she went with him on nights like these. He pressed a kiss to her jaw.

"Give me one of your hands," he whispered in her ear before pulling away. She almost whimpered when cool air filled the space where he had been. She held out a hand.

He pressed something cold and round into her palm and curled her fingers around it. 

"If you want to tap out and talking feels too hard, all you have to do is drop that, all right?" He brushed a gentle kiss across her knuckles. She nodded. "Tell me you understand, pet."

"Drop it if I wanna stop," she repeated, the words coming unburdened and unashamed. He chuckled and let go of her hand, which she replaced behind her back.

"Good girl." He ran his thumb over her bottom lip. She let her jaw relax and when his thumb returned, she closed her lips around it and sucked, running her tongue along familiar scars and calluses. He chuckled and withdrew. She whimpered at the loss.

"Patience," he admonished lightly, “take what I give.” She let out a little huff and nodded. He wove a hand through her hair and tugged lightly, pulling her head back just enough to bare her throat. She let out half a gasp then relaxed into his hold, the pleasant tingle of pain in her scalp just another reminder.

"You’re a needy little thing tonight," he said, soft and amused. He let go of her hair and she heard the soft sounds of him unlacing his trousers. She squirmed a little bit at the heat building in her stomach, the wetness she could feel gathering between her legs. His hands brushed over her shoulders and she shivered again. They skimmed their way down to her waist and pulled, guiding her into his lap, her legs astride his, her chest to his chest. She could feel the warm press of his cock against her stomach and she smiled hazily.

“Will you be alright if I tie your wrists?” he asked, and his voice was so close and so warm and she nodded enthusiastically. He laughed, sweet and melodic like the ringing of a bell. He pulled her a little closer and reached behind her. He wound soft fabric around her wrists, tight enough that she couldn't move without feeling it. She tugged at them experimentally. 

"Good?" he asked, brushing a lock of hair out of her eyes. She nodded again. "Good. I love you."

"I love you too," she said, though the words came out a little slurred. He reached up between them and let his hands roam down her stomach, closer and closer to her core. She barely restrained a whimper when his fingers found her clit. He didn't longer there though, drifting lower to tease around her sex.

"So wet for me, sweet thing," he said, gathering her slick in his fingers. He moved back up to her clit, massaging it in slow, soft circles. She hummed happily. He huffed out a laugh and pressed a kiss to the hollow of her throat. 

"Alright. Sit up a bit, love." His hand left her clit and instead curled around the curve of her ass, nudging her up. She acquiesced, kneeling up. When she felt the first press of his cock lined up against her entrance, she sighed and pressed back into him. Something desperate in the back of her mind fell silent. She snuck down onto him inch by inch until she was finally fully seated in his lap again, feeling warm and safe and full.

She went to lift herself up, to press against him and make him feel good, but his hands stopped her before she got anywhere.

"Still, kitten," he said softly, "be still. All I want you to do is feel. Don't worry about anything else, just feel." He guided her to rest her head in the crook of his neck. He wrapped one arm around her shoulders and the other around her waist, pinning her arms to her body.

"Relax, love," he whispered, "I've got you. I'll take the weight alright? You just stay right here and feel good for me," He stroked one of his hands up and down her spine. He was right. She couldn't move right now if she tried. He was holding her everywhere. Everything was dark and soft and quiet and Vax. He had her.

"There you are," he murmured, "You're very strong and very brave every day, but you don't have to be right now. Just let me hold you up a little while. Let me make you feel good, hmm?" She meant to nod, but she wasn't sure she could. The world was so fuzzy and far away. She felt one hand level her back to snake between them and she whimpered when he started rubbing his thumb over her clit. It reminded her of just how full she felt with his cock seated inside of her. She clenched around him and felt his breath stutter against her cheek.

"You deserve to feel good, beautiful. You deserve good things." He kept his strokes steady, light, and slow. The pleasure came slowly too, lapping against her like ocean waves at low tips. Instinctively, she tried to roll her hips, to press his cock into the places it would feel best, but his grip on her waist stopped her. 

"Still, kitten. Take what I give you." She nodded with a little whine. She wasn't sure how long they sat there, her stuffed with his cock, softly whimpering with each out-breath. He just kept whispering sweet things into her ear and making her feel good. It was just this side of agonizing, the pace he went, her arousal building so slowly that the crest of it took her by surprise.

"'m gonna come," she said against the soft skin of his shoulder, "please."

"Good girl," he said, "asking for what you want." She could hear the smile in his voice. He sped up, just a little, and it pushed her over the edge. She hadn't realized how high he had brought her until she started to fall and fall and fall. 

When she came back to herself she was in the same place, still held and bound and full of his cock.

"Vax?" she asked sleepily. He laughed and pressed a kiss into her hair.

"Yes, it's still me, darling."

"Thank you, I love you. Can you take this blindfold off?" He reached behind her head to undo the knot and when she blinked her eyes open the candlelight was dim and he was smiling down at her. She settled back against his neck.

"You did wonderfully," he said, hugging her a little tighter. "You're wonderful. And I'm not going to let you forget it, Kiki." He waited a second for a response and when he got none he smiled. "Time for bed, I think."

"No," she whimpered softly, "can we stay here a little longer? I'm floating." He started combing his fingers through her messy red curls. 

"With my dick in you and everything?" She nodded into his shoulder. "Are you sure?"

"It's you everywhere," she explained helpfully, "Safe. Easy." Something warm and protective flared in his chest. She was boneless, bound, and pinned against him, and she felt safe. He couldn't keep her safe forever, there were dragons to be slain and they needed Keyleth, powerful, wise, bright Keyleth. But how could he deny her a moment of rest?

"Alright," he conceded, "we can stay here awhile." Her eyelids fluttered shut and the last bit of tension in her body seeped out of her.

"We're flying, Vax," she mumbled against his skin, "we can fly."

**Author's Note:**

> I hope. you enjoyed? this? leave me a note or something if you'd like.


End file.
